In mid-autumn of the eleventh month, the imperial envoy Zhen Gen dispatched to the Western Frontier returned to Chang’an and reported directly to Li Chi — that Grand Marshal Tang Pidi was unwilling to return to Chang’an.
As he spoke these words, Zhen Gen felt as though a small blade were slicing back and forth through his heart.
By nature, he never could have uttered such words under any circumstances — he understood all too clearly what a grave offense it was to defy an imperial decree. But Tang Pidi had pressed him with the absolute necessity of saying it, and moreover, it had to be said in front of the full court of civil and military officials.
Li Chi was angry after hearing this. Genuinely angry.
Because he understood all too well what Tang Pidi wanted — what outcome he was after.
*You want it, so I should just give it to you?*
“Did you all hear? Did you all hear clearly?”
Li Chi looked across the assembled court and asked.
The officials all nodded.
Li Chi asked again, “The Grand Marshal says he has no wish to return to Chang’an. What do you all think of that?”
The officials all lowered their heads. Not one of them was willing to say anything. What the Grand Marshal was trying to accomplish — did the court’s civil and military officials not understand? Before this, even Xu Ji, a man so intent on consolidating power, had never at any point sought to target Tang Pidi. One reason was that he didn’t dare; another was that he genuinely admired the man.
People say that civil officials and military commanders are always at odds — push back several hundred years, or forward several hundred years, and the situation would probably look the same. Yet old Tang was simply that kind of person: not only did not one of Great Ning’s military commanders fail to submit to him, even not one of the civil officials could bring themselves to disrespect him.
Li Chi, seeing that no one spoke, singled someone out: “Gao Youlian, do you have something to say?”
The Chief Censor of the Censorate, Gao Youlian, ought to have had something to say. Given his temperament, Tang Pidi’s defiance of the imperial decree in such a manner was precisely the kind of matter he should have been speaking out about at length.
Gao Youlian stepped forward and bowed. “Your Majesty, this subject has nothing to say.”
Li Chi asked, “Nothing at all?”
Gao Youlian replied, “Nothing at all.”
Li Chi’s expression darkened as he pressed further, “You don’t think Tang Pidi has defied the imperial decree?”
Gao Youlian replied, “This subject does not think so. The Grand Marshal has not returned from the Western Frontier, which means he has his reasons for not returning. Military affairs — the Grand Marshal sees them more clearly than anyone. This subject is a civil official who does not understand military matters, and therefore does not dare make careless criticisms.”
Li Chi slowly exhaled, looked at Gao Youlian, and nodded. “You are not wrong. Even you feel the Grand Marshal has good reason not to return — then truly, there must be good reason.”
Li Chi rose to his feet. “Ding Qing’an, remember one thing for me: the weather has turned cold. Send my great cloak to the Western Frontier to keep the Grand Marshal warm.”
With that he turned and walked out. “Court is dismissed.”
The civil and military officials all let out a collective breath of relief. They glanced at one another, then couldn’t help but break into smiles.
When His Majesty had just asked who had something to say — truly, if anyone had dared say something untoward about Tang Pidi’s failure to return, just wait and see what His Majesty’s reaction would have been. He would have flayed them three layers alive with his words.
His Majesty was angry with the Grand Marshal not because of the defiance of the imperial decree, but because the Grand Marshal was stubbornly insisting on asking His Majesty to strip him of his princely title. His Majesty was angry not because the Grand Marshal was being unreasonable, but because the Grand Marshal was being too reasonable.
“His Majesty is fishing with a straight hook…”
Gao Youlian muttered as he walked out, “He can’t reel the fish in, so he’s just shouting directly at it. But I’m no fool…”
Everyone around him burst out laughing. It was rare to see the Chief Censor in a joking mood.
The eleventh month in Chang’an was already quite cold — the climate here was even slightly colder than in Jizhou. Nearly every tree in the city had shed its leaves; underfoot along the streets lay patches of deep gold, beautiful beyond measure.
A convoy departed Chang’an, treading through all that gold as it headed west to deliver the imperial cloak to the Grand Marshal. Beyond the cloak, His Majesty had additional rewards for the Grand Marshal as well — in short: you want to resign? Then I’ll give you even more.
Yan Ta Academy.
The Dean, Gao Yuanzhang, was sitting beside a brazier with his hands stretched out to warm them. A few jujubes were roasting atop the brazier, filling the room with their fragrant smell.
“His Majesty hasn’t actually grown furious, has he?” asked Little Zhang Zhenren, refilling tea for the elders while glancing up with a trace of worry.
Concern clouds judgment — he genuinely feared that His Majesty had grown angry with the Grand Marshal. It was the one thing he least wished to see.
“Angry? Of course he’s angry.”
Changmei Daoren smiled and said, “But do you really think His Majesty would punish Tang Pidi out of anger?”
Little Zhang Zhenren shook his head. “His Majesty has already sent rewards to the Western Frontier. Of course he wouldn’t punish the Grand Marshal.”
Gao Yuanzhang laughed. “Tang Pidi’s refusal to come back from the Western Frontier is nothing more than wanting to give His Majesty a pretext. But His Majesty simply won’t take it.”
“If you want to talk about anger, His Majesty is probably thinking something like: Tang Pidi, you won’t come back? Fine, then stay where you are. Stay in the Western Frontier as long as you like. But His Majesty will just keep showering you with rewards — the more you don’t want them, the more I’ll give.”
Changmei Daoren smiled. “That’s a perceptive reading.”
Old Zhang Zhenren laughed. “The ‘anger’ between His Majesty and Tang Pidi — that’s just them being contrary with each other. And doing it in opposite directions, at that.”
Little Zhang Zhenren let out a relieved breath. All three elders said the same thing, so there was nothing to worry about.
Just then, they heard the sound of hurried footsteps outside. All of them instinctively glanced toward the door, and in came Yu Jiuling, trotting over at a brisk clip.
Yu Jiuling rushed in the door, bringing with him a gust of cold air.
“Something’s wrong, something’s wrong.”
Yu Jiuling called out twice, his face a shade paler than usual — and if even he was this flustered, something genuinely terrible must have happened.
Changmei Daoren looked at Yu Jiuling and said calmly, “Slow down. What happened exactly?”
Yu Jiuling was gasping from the run, a testament to just how anxious he was.
“Just now, the Tingwei Bureau’s people in the Western Frontier secretly sent word back to Chang’an — saying that not long ago, old Tang did something foolish out there.”
Gao Yuanzhang frowned slightly. “Tang Pidi did something foolish?”
He didn’t believe that for a moment, and not one of the three old schemers in the room believed it either. Everyone under heaven might have their moments of stupidity, but Tang Pidi was an entirely different creature.
“What exactly happened?”
Gao Yuanzhang asked.
Yu Jiuling said, “The Tingwei Bureau sent back a secret report — when the western expedition forces returned to Liangzhou City, they brought back a great deal of captured spoils.”
“Among them was the royal robe of the king of a small Western Region kingdom — the royal robe of the King of the Jinjiao Kingdom.”
“The Jinjiao Kingdom’s envoys — weren’t they the ones who got into a brawl with Jia Ruan outside Chang’an not long ago?”
“So this time, during the Western Expedition, the only Western Region kingdom that the forces actually destroyed was the Jinjiao Kingdom.”
“When the captured goods were transported to Liangzhou, old Tang — for reasons entirely unclear — somehow got it in his head to try on that royal robe, just to see if it looked good.”
After Yu Jiuling finished speaking, Gao Yuanzhang’s expression also shifted slightly.
Because this matter was genuinely difficult to explain away. Compared to old Tang’s earlier refusal to return to Chang’an, this was far graver.
His refusal to return — His Majesty hadn’t even made an issue of it. Because Tang Pidi was the commanding general; if the commanding general said there were military affairs keeping him from returning promptly, His Majesty could explain it away on his behalf, simply as military duties being too demanding to permit a timely return.
But trying on the royal robe of a vanquished king…
Changmei Daoren immediately asked, “What did His Majesty say?”
Yu Jiuling said, “His Majesty doesn’t know yet. The Tingwei Bureau’s people are no fools — they naturally didn’t dare report to His Majesty first, and went to the Empress instead.”
“The Tingwei Bureau had to report it — not reporting would be a dereliction of duty. But bringing it to the Empress first was the absolute limit of what they could do.”
Yu Jiuling looked at Gao Yuanzhang. “The Empress immediately sent me to ask the three elders — what should be done about this?”
Changmei Daoren shook his head. “There is nothing anyone else can do about this. Not even the Empress.”
Gao Yuanzhang nodded. “Go back and tell the Empress — report the matter to His Majesty honestly, exactly as it happened, with no concealment whatsoever. And in the wording, there must be absolutely no favoritism shown toward Tang Pidi.”
Old Zhang Zhenren said, “They are right. If anyone else meddles or interferes, that is when His Majesty will truly become angry.”
Yu Jiuling said anxiously, “So we just leave it completely alone?”
Gao Yuanzhang nodded. “Just go back and relay our words to the Empress as they are. She’s not foolish — she knows what to do.”
Yu Jiuling acknowledged and, not daring to delay, turned and ran back to the Weiyang Palace in one breath.
The next morning, at court.
Li Chi sat listening as the officials presented their affairs. After everything had been discussed and deliberated, the moment that normally would have been the time to dismiss court arrived — but instead, Li Chi signaled for everyone to wait a moment.
Li Chi rose to his feet and, stepping slowly down from the high platform, said as he walked, “I received a secret report from the Tingwei Bureau yesterday. There is an amusing matter I’d like to share with all of you. If I don’t say it, none of you will probably ever get to hear it.”
The officials all looked toward His Majesty, waiting to hear just how amusing this amusing matter was.
“You all know about the Jinjiao Kingdom being destroyed by Dantai and the western expedition forces, yes?”
Li Chi asked, and everyone present nodded in acknowledgment.
Li Chi said, “The Jinjiao King was executed, and his royal robe was transported back as a trophy of war. Our Grand Marshal thought it looked interesting, so he tried it on…”
The moment Li Chi’s words reached this point, a wave of low gasps swept across the hall — the involuntary reaction of every official present.
Chief Censor Gao Youlian’s face immediately went pale, because on this matter he truly could no longer stay silent. The previous incident he could let pass without a word — His Majesty had also wanted him to say nothing. But this was different.
The only thing Gao Youlian now hoped was that His Majesty would not call his name.
He had barely finished that thought when he saw His Majesty’s gaze sweep in his direction. Gao Youlian immediately lowered his head, pretending he hadn’t noticed.
“What do you all think this means — the Grand Marshal trying on the Jinjiao King’s royal robe?”
Li Chi asked.
The officials all lowered their heads. Every one of them knew what the Grand Marshal was trying to accomplish — and every one of them also understood that what the Grand Marshal had done this time had gone too far.
“Are you all afraid to speak, or have you simply not figured it out?”
Li Chi asked again.
The full court of civil and military officials — not one person dared speak a word. All of them stared down at the tips of their own feet.
Li Chi smiled. “You have probably all not figured it out. But I have.”
He paced slowly as he spoke. “Why would the Grand Marshal go and put on the robes of a vanquished king? I’ve been thinking — it must be because he found that robe very beautiful, and that his own Grand Marshal’s princely robe was not particularly beautiful. So I’ve turned it over in my mind, and in this matter… I was wrong.”
Everyone in the room snapped their heads up in astonishment, each at a complete loss.
Li Chi continued, perfectly composed, “The Grand Marshal’s royal robe is apparently not as beautiful as the royal robe of a small Western Region kingdom — which is simply indefensible.”
“So I’ve thought it over: if the Grand Marshal’s royal robe is not beautiful enough, then let it be more beautiful. Xu Ji.”
Li Chi suddenly called out to Xu Ji, and Xu Ji immediately bowed. “This subject is here.”
Li Chi said, “When you return, draft a decree for me. The Grand Marshal’s royal robe was previously adorned with a three-taloned dragon — change it to four talons.”
Sweat had broken out on Xu Ji’s forehead. He bowed at once. “This subject has noted it down. This subject will draft the decree immediately upon returning…”
Li Chi gave a sound of acknowledgment, turned to walk back, then stopped and looked at Xu Ji again. “Are four talons beautiful?”
Xu Ji immediately said, “Beautiful — that will surely be exceedingly beautiful.”
Li Chi shook his head. “I suddenly feel it’s not quite right.”
Xu Ji breathed a sigh of relief, thinking: *Thank heaven, Your Majesty, you’ve finally thought better of it.*
Then he heard Li Chi say, “Five talons, then. No need for further deliberation — just do as I’ve said. Have the Ministry of Rites people work with Xu Ji to figure out how this five-talon royal robe should be made. Make sure it turns out beautiful.”
At that, Li Chi waved his hand. “All of you may go.”
And walked away.
—